PC

I'd love to agree with Gene. I'd love to because Beyond Good & Evil has aspects that give it the potential to be a really special videogame. Aspects like characters that have character (rather than some outlined archetype straight from the marketing department), a plotline that could have a lot to say about the ambiguity of moral choices, consistently stunning art direction and a refreshingly simple control scheme.

Like Erin, I also spent time with some PC adventure titles during my youth, most notably Space Quest and the infamous Leisure Suit Larry series. 1998's Grim Fandango was a more recent one, and I enjoyed that just as much as the old-schoolers, if not more. So, it comes as no real surprise that I thought Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon was a great disc to spend time with. It meets all the genre's quasi-requirements like snappy dialogue and a light tone, presenting a genuinely enjoyable adventure. It may knock twitch gamers unconscious with its lack of combat and relatively slow pace, but this is a kind of game that I don't want to see disappear into the annals of history, mouse or no mouse.

Game Description: In a world on the brink of global conflict, you find yourself back on the front lines of battle. Only this time, you're not here to prevent a war. You're here to start one. Dynamically use your environment as cover hug objects and terrain, popping out to fire from protected positions;Your enemies use all of the same tactics available to you, to take you down.

Some games are the bearers of creative brilliance, striving to expand the boundaries of gaming as we know it. The inspired work of inspired people, you can see these titles coming a mile away—and you might not be the same after being exposed to such masterpieces. On the other hand, some games are content to provide thrills and technical experiences without covering much, if any, new ground. These titles are the staples of a videogamer's diet. Safe and familiar, you know what you're getting.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Strong Language, Violence

Game Description: The murder of an underground hacker in Paris is just the beginning of this extraordinary adventure for George Stobbard and Nico Collard in the highly anticipated Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon. Powerful seismic events are shaking the world. An Ancient Conspiracy, the Secrets of the Templars, and a fiendish source of pure Evil are responsible. From the jungles of the Congo to the deceptive calm of the English West Country and gothic castles time is running out for the Earth and only George and Nico can save it. An epic narrative from Europe's master interactive storytellers; Stunning graphics delivered by a radical new graphic engine; Wholly intuitive direct control interface fresh gameplay navigation for full control of the character; Movie quality script and voice acting, with facial animation choreography using Virtual Actor Engine.

In terms of winning over new gamers to the cause, I doubt that the addition of a few things to climb on, some very elementary stealth scenarios, and a whole bunch of crates to push around doesn't change the game enough to appeal to those who find adventure games boring to begin with. The Sleeping Dragon is more about keeping the faith than anything.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Blood and Gord, Mild Language, Violence

Game Description: An epic RPG on land and at sea based on the Disney film, using the pirate game Sea Dogs as the basis of its buccaneering., Designed as a thrilling blend of role playing and action Pirates of the Caribbean takes place in a large group of Caribbean islands during the golden age of piracy and high seas adventure. You will take command of a ship and its crew, swordfight with other captains, accept and complete daring quests, chase rumors of dangers and riches, and change allegiances amongst the colonial powers in the game. Through skill and daring, you will have the ability to obtain more power than the toughest captains in history ever dreamed possible. You will be able to customize your captain, crew, skills, and attributes to their individual liking. During shore leave on the many fanciful islands, players can interact with townspeople and shopkeepers to replenish stores of ammo and crew, and explore the wilderness in search of adventure and treasure. A party based system on land and at sea allows you to hire friendly captains to form small fleets of ships for trade or battle, and your own band of adventurers when on land.

When a movie reviewer sits down to watch the movie he's supposed to write about, he's relatively certain that it's not going to break down halfway through, and then need to be watched over again from the beginning. Book reviewers can be pretty sure that the manuscript they're sent by the publishers won't be missing the final chapter. Because I'm reviewing a video game, though, I was forced to experience the equivalent of both these things when playing Pirates of the Caribbean.